Yokohama tops Kichijoji as best spot to live in Tokyo area survey

Yokohama has topped this year’s list of the most desirable places to live in the Tokyo metropolitan area, according to a survey by a real estate firm.

The capital of Kanagawa Prefecture rose from third place last year to dethrone Kichijoji in the rankings compiled by Recruit Sumai Co., which runs the Suumo real estate information website and magazine.

“Yokohama is attractive by many standards including sophistication, character and asset value,” Suumo’s chief editor Yoichi Ikemoto said of the shift in the standings, released Wednesday.

Ebisu in central Tokyo remained unchanged in second place, while the western suburb of Kichijoji was bumped to third from first.

In addition, Kitasenju took first in the rankings of little-known good places to live, followed by Akabane. Wako in Saitama Prefecture also made the list.

The online survey, conducted almost every year since 2010, drew responses from 7,000 people from 20 to 49 residing in Tokyo and adjacent Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures.